John McManus Elementary School

Mc manus elementary is an amazing school where my daughter Natalie has been from 1^st grade to now 4^th grade in 2016. Every one of her teachers has been amazing and caring and has their own unique style of teaching. The population is diverse and everyone brings something different to the table. It’s not cookie cutter and that’s why I like it. I want my daughter to experience diversity the way it is in the real world. Bottom line. The teachers care about their students here. My daughter has excelled and is at a 8^th grade reading level already and comes home every day happy and excited about her day at school. The environment is warm and friendly when you enter the office and campus. I can feel good about my daughter spending time learning and growing when she is not at home with me.

One of the worst schools ever. Poorly run, uneducated staff, and people just not doing their job. There are a few select teachers here who do a fine job. The administrators, principal, and kitchen staff… not so much. My child was bullied by an african american child, who was also bullying other boys and girls. She would physically hit my child, other children, and harrass staff. She threw plastic stacking cups and hit my daughter above the eye. I spoke with the pricipal who did nothing. It wasn’t until the other parents and I started threatening lawsuits she finally did something and the child was removed. FIVE of my childs coats were stolen. Pricipal wouldn’t investigate it. She seems so caught up with the whole «affirmative action» concept, she neglects her responsibilities. I was stalked by another parent on campus and again… nothing was done to protect me and my child. And don’t even get me started on the parking situation. What a joke! But as long as you’re black or hispanic, you can park illegally. Go ahead, park in the red zone. Everyone who’s white, move it or get harrassed. WORST RUN SCHOOL EVER. HAVE THE SAME RULES FOR EVERYONE.

Sorry, to the previous reviewer, Dean W. The school is no longer the educational utopia you remember.
I was lucky to have my son placed in the classrooms of two teachers of renown. Molly Barnum (K) and Diane Deadmond (½ combo) were SAINTS. My wife and I will forever be thankful for their hard work and dedication to the profession. They did wonderful jobs with the resources they were given.
My review will reflect ²⁰⁰⁸⁄₀₉ and ²⁰⁰⁹⁄₁₀ school years.
The school was terribly overcrowded and in dire disrepair. The rumors around campus were that the administration had some serious issues. My son was continually bullied, as was acknowledged by the playground aids yet nothing was done about this. Finally, when he fought back HE was in trouble, and labeled the bad kid.
When we asked to have him tested for a disability (at the request of his teacher and pediatrician) they gave us a song and dance about overcrowding of the special ed department, and that even if they COULD test him, it wouldn’t be until at least the Spring semester of the following year.
We have moved schools.
Sorry, McManus…“Eek! Methinks Not.”

Ahhh memories. I went here from 3^rd to 6^th grade. The teachers are caring, friendly and very helpful.
Good sized playground, huge field (at least when I was going here).
I checked their website and none of my teachers teach there anymore, so can’t really comment on the quality of the teachers now, but back in the 90s, this school was fantastic!